Like many others in the past, a tweet President Donald Trump made last year has not aged well in light of his announcement that transgender military personnel will no longer be able to serve in the military due to “tremendous medical costs.”
While that assertion is incorrect, according to findings commissioned by the government, Trump’s tweets only add to the mounting criticism he has received since his announcement.
During the campaign, Trump tried to portray himself as an LGBTQ ally, particularly after the Pulse nightclub shooting when he called the attack an “assault” on people’s ability to “love who they want and express their identity.”
Thank you to the LGBT community! I will fight for you while Hillary brings in more people that will threaten your freedoms and beliefs.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 14, 2016
As you can imagine, people are highlighting the obvious disconnect between what he said in 2016 and his announcement on Wednesday.
Trump announces a ban on transgender people in the U.S. military. Disgusting.
— Deniz S. (@MrFilmkritik) July 26, 2017
This is what he tweeted last year. Trump was never Pro-LGBT. pic.twitter.com/itanTTvpqf
In a tweet on June 14, 2016 @realDonaldTrump said to #LGBT Americans: “I will fight for you.”
— Young Democrats of America (@youngdems) July 26, 2017
He lied.
Welcome to the culture wars. https://t.co/s6qbp5Rcuw
2016 Trump: To the LGBT community! I'll fight for you while Hillary brings in more people that will threaten your freedoms and beliefs.
— Charlie (@notcharchar) July 26, 2017
Now: https://t.co/CXRl9uukGM
https://twitter.com/SirajAHashmi/status/890213758995505152
https://twitter.com/prawirowijaya/status/890213432586256384
In 2016, Trump told the LGBT community, "I will fight for you."
— Nick Jack Pappas (@Pappiness) July 26, 2017
Now, they're no longer allowed to fight for us.
Trump’s perceived hypocrisy has begun to envelop members of his team, including newly appointed White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci and daughter and White House adviser Ivanka Trump, both of whom touted the president’s pro-LGBTQ views.
I am proud to support my LGBTQ friends and the LGBTQ Americans who have made immense contributions to our society and economy.
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) June 2, 2017
President Trump is most pro-LGBTQ rights @POTUS in history. Why's that story not written in mainstream media? https://t.co/pRf9rCNKH3
— Anthony Scaramucci (@Scaramucci) February 3, 2017
Why, indeed?
According to a Trump administration official, Trump’s decision was not based on costs or the impact transgender service members would have on the United States military but on political calculus.
https://twitter.com/jonathanvswan/status/890202683721863168